Downloading Version Upgrades

[Roamer]

Zabaware was nice enough to finally send me two emails.

One was a notification of an upgrade and the other was a response to my original email to them.

My original email was sent to them on 8/28/01 and was answered on 9/4/01. So, maybe they only check their email once or twice a week.

The version upgrade is on the "redownload" page. It has a passcode box that's supposed to allow paid customers to download the upgrade after entering their email address.
 

Here's what I get when I try to access the link that they sent me.

"Error. The email address you have entered was not found in the order database. Please try again or email info@zabaware.com with your order information. If you have not purchased Hal, please download our free version"

So, I'm not in the order database as a paying customer.

That's so friggin sweet that I can barely contain myself.


It is so entirely frustrating to deal with a company that doesn't seem to have done the least little bit of research into product distribution and upgrade methodology. With little doubt, I'm guessing that the "upgrade" will be another gargantuan 88meg download instead of an upgrade patch to simply fix the errors in the executables.


The problems with the program are mainly install problems and SAPI voice recognition problems. Everything else works as expected. But, these two primary problems are so pivotal to the proper function of the program that they simple MUST be fixed.

The only gains from purchasing the program are a few more characters and the SR functions. Had I known that the SR functions did not work, I never would have spent my money on this product.

FIX IT. FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.FIX IT.

[katsinner]

You too huh?
Sent the email for help got an answer over a week later.  Get sent an email to say there is a new version, but, the 'your not in our database' is not a new thing to me. I had this problem the first time! Major case of dejavu happening to me, augh.
Hey at least they are consistant!

[Medeksza]

The update is a full installation, and not a patch. We did not make it into a patch program for the following reasons:

• It includes the Microsoft SAPI 5.1 installation program. The previous update was version 5.0. The SAPI 5.1 installation is about 50MB, and Microsoft did not provide any way to patch version 5.0 to 5.1.


• Many other ActiveX objects and dlls have received updates, such as the Chant speech system. Hal contains many 3rd party products and we must use the installation scripts of the 3rd party.


• If everything that could be patched was patched, the installation program would be around 60MB as opposed to the 103 MB full version. We thought at these sizes, people would rather have the full installation program as a backup.

I appologize to everyone who received the message that they are not in the Database. This particular database was programmed to only allow redownloads to people that didn't buy the cd, but chose to only receive the full version
as an internet download. We have updated our program to allow everyone to redownload, and that will occur on purchases from now on.

We have sent out emails to everyone who contacted us regarding the download program with the correct download URL. Thank you for patience and I hope you enjoy the new version.

[V34]

REDOWNLOAD
THE LINk is not very clear at first  with the line break
its  actually  twice as long as it looks
"http://www.zabaware.com/download.html?WCI=HalFullDownldDownKey=XXXXXXXXX"


I changed things  a little in the address so as not to give things away!

with out any warnings the  download box appears it was 15 to 20 min with DSL
connection 105 meg

So  it might be 2 hours or more for a 56 k   connection.
so start it at 4 am  maybe it will be done by the time you wake up.

it will be this weekend before i get time to install and see how it works.

[LSHIPLEY33]

quote:
I HAVE PURCHASED THE COMPLETE PROGRAM ONLY AS A DOWNLOADABLE, GUESS WHAT?  tHE FREEKIN DATABASE STILL DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ME.  SO IS THIS AN ERROUNEOUS STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY?
The update is a full installation, and not a patch. We did not make it into a patch program for the following reasons:

• It includes the Microsoft SAPI 5.1 installation program. The previous update was version 5.0. The SAPI 5.1 installation is about 50MB, and Microsoft did not provide any way to patch version 5.0 to 5.1.


• Many other ActiveX objects and dlls have received updates, such as the Chant speech system. Hal contains many 3rd party products and we must use the installation scripts of the 3rd party.


• If everything that could be patched was patched, the installation program would be around 60MB as opposed to the 103 MB full version. We thought at these sizes, people would rather have the full installation program as a backup.

I appologize to everyone who received the message that they are not in the Database. This particular database was programmed to only allow redownloads to people that didn't buy the cd, but chose to only receive the full version
as an internet download. We have updated our program to allow everyone to redownload, and that will occur on purchases from now on.

We have sent out emails to everyone who contacted us regarding the download program with the correct download URL. Thank you for patience and I hope you enjoy the new version.

CLSHIP